Art. 17.024.  TRAINING ON DUTIES REGARDING BAIL.  (a)  The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall, in consultation with the court of criminal appeals, develop or approve training courses regarding a magistrate's duties, including duties with respect to setting bail in criminal cases.  The courses developed must include:
(1)  an eight-hour initial training course that includes the content of the applicable training course described by Article 17.0501; and
(2)  a two-hour continuing education course.
(b)  The office shall provide for a method of certifying that a magistrate has successfully completed a training course required under this article and has demonstrated competency of the course content in a manner acceptable to the office.
(c)  A magistrate is in compliance with the training requirements of this article if:
(1)  not later than the 90th day after the date the magistrate takes office, the magistrate successfully completes the course described by Subsection (a)(1);
(2)  the magistrate successfully completes the course described by Subsection (a)(2) in each subsequent state fiscal biennium in which the magistrate serves; and
(3)  the magistrate demonstrates competency as provided by Subsection (b).
(c-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (c), a magistrate who is serving on April 1, 2022, is considered to be in compliance with Subsection (c)(1) if the magistrate successfully completes the training course not later than December 1, 2022.  This subsection expires May 1, 2023.
(d)  Any course developed or approved by the office under this article may be administered by the Texas Justice Court Training Center, the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center, the Texas Association of Counties, the Texas Center for the Judiciary, or a similar entity.
Added by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 11 (S.B. 6), Sec. 5, eff. December 2, 2021.